Not All Rail Improvements Are Spectacular
I found this article from The Enquirer, which is entitled Essex set for faster trains after summer speed restriction is finally lifted.
This is said.
A LONG-STANDING speed restriction in place on the railway between Shenfield and Seven Kings, London, during the summer has been lifted by Network Rail.
The decision was made after the completion of important railway improvement works over Christmas. Network Rail engineers worked around-the-clock for 10 days to replace 12.5km of overhead wires at Gidea Park, untangling the complex web of crossovers, and replacing it with more durable and heat-resistant wires.
Passengers will not see any dramatic physical difference, but if the sun ever beats down again, the trains will still stick to the timetable.
Trenitalia To Buy c2c
There are several several articles like this one in Railway Gazette, which is entitled Trenitalia buys c2c to enter UK rail market.
So what will it mean?
Ultimate Ownership
The ultimate ownership of a train operating company seems to have very little difference to the quality of trains and customer service.
I will look at a recent journey I made from Leipzig to Brussels on Deutche Bahn, that I wrote about in Deutsche Bahn’s Idea Of Customer Service.
It was not a good journey and in the post, I say that eutche Bahn is nowhere as good as Chiltern.
And who owns Chiltern? – Deutsche Bahn.
So I suspect we’ll see very few changes on c2c because of the change of ownership, with perhaps the following provisos.
When successful companies are taken over, the Senior Management Team often depart to pastures or in this case railways, new.
The article also says this.
Mick Cash, General Secretary of pro-nationalisation trade union RMT, was less enthusiastic about the announcement. ‘This is yet another part of Britain’s rail operations being sold off to a European state-owned outfit’, he said. ‘This time it is Trenitalia, an Italian operator, that is being given an open door to plunder passengers and the public purse to subsidise rail services in their own country.’
Looking at the mess, that the RMT and its fellow travellers have got Southern into, this could be omnious.
The Future For c2c’s Services
Look at the route map of most rail franchises and a twelve-year-old with a pencil could suggest obvious places where the network could be expanded.
But there are few places , where c2c could expand.
- Reinstate the Tilbury Riverside Branch.
- Direct access to Crossrail at Stratford.
- A Canvey Island Branch
So much of the growth will come from more frequent and faster services to existing destinations, more and better trains and improvements to stations.
There must be scope for Automatic Train Operation (ATO) at the London end of the route to improve capacity and reduce journey times.
Conclusion
I had to scrape together a scenario for the future and it leads me to the conclusion that c2c is virtually fully developed. So have National Express decided to sell c2c, as it is a mature asset, that is worth more to xomebody else. Especially, a new entrant to the UK rail market, who wants to know how to run a UK train franchise.
In some ways it’s a bit like a bank selling on a long-term loan to a blue-chip company, to another back.
A Design Crime – Train Platform Interface At St. Pancras Thameslink
Frank Grdner has been complaining at the problems of travelling on planes in a wheelchair.
I took these pictures of the step between platform and train at St. Pancras Thameslink station.
All of the trains including the 1980s built Class 319 trains seem to require the same step-up into the train.
As the Platforms at the station were built after the Class 319 trains became the most numerous trains on the route, this a real design crime of the highest order.
It would appear that Merseyrail will offer roll-across access with their new trains, so why isn’t Thameslink.
But then in an ideal world, St. Pancras station needs a substantial rebuild underground.
All Of Scotland Is Now Twinned With Marlow
This article on the BBC, is entitled Winds close Forth Road Bridge and cut power to homes.
At two this morning a truck overturned on the Forth Road Bridge and the bridge has been closed since.
This is the full story from the BBC report.
The lorry on the Forth Road Bridge blew over at about 02:00 GMT. A spokesman for the bridge-operating company said the bridge had been closed to HGVs from 00:30 GMT.
The truck was travelling north from the Edinburgh side towards Fife, but was blown on to the southbound carriageway, damaging a 40-metre stretch of the central grilling, he said.
It had been lifted off the central grilling by a crane by mid-morning, but it could not be completely cleared from the scene until the weather improves.
The bridge remains closed both north and south-bound.
The driver of the lorry has been charged with dangerous driving, police said.
What an idiot!
But there was also the incident on the historic Marlow Bridge over the Thames. This is from Wikipedia.
On 24 September 2016 the bridge suffered ‘potential structural damage’ following an incident where 37-tonne Lithuanian haulage lorry exceeding the weight limit attempted to pass over the bridge. The bridge was closed for two months to allow Buckinghamshire County Council to undertake a series of stress tests on the suspension bridge hangers and pins, together with ultrasound and magnetic particle tests. No significant damage to the bridge was found, and had given the all-clear to reopen the bridge on Friday 25 November following restoration of sections exposed for weld testing with three coats of paint, removal of scaffolding surrounding the bridge’s two towers, and reinstatement of timber work removed for inspection. To the applause of around 100 onlookers, Marlow Bridge was reopened to traffic at 10am on Friday, 25 November.
Consider that Marlow Bridge was built in 1832, it has survived the better part bof two centruries well.
However Marlow Bridge was built by Bristolian; William Tierney Clark, who was also responsible for Hammersmith Bridge on the Thames.
Internationally, Clark was also responsible for the iconic Széchenyi Chain Bridge across the Danube in Budapest.
Bada Castle And The Chain Bridge
I took the picture, when I did my Home Run From Budapest in 2013. What you see is not wholly the original, as that was blown up by the Nazis in the Siege of Budapest in 1945.
Incidentally, the engineer who supervised the construction of the bridge from parts sent out from the UK, was the Scot; Adam Clark.
As Adam Clark was born in Edinburgh, I’ve concluded by bringing the narrative back to the Forth Bridge.
Class 230 And Class 319 Flex Fight It Out
The Class 319 Flex train and the Class 230 train share a lot of objectives.
- They involve re manufacturing of redundant trains.
- They feature new interiors.
- They feature on-board diesel power-packs.
- They would be capable of serving short to medium routes.
Some advantages of the Class 319 Flex are.
- The ability to work on all main lines with electrification in the UK.
- The trains have proven fairly reliable and they are getting more so, according to Modern Railways.
- The trains are based on Mark 3 coaches, so are as tough as teak.
- There are a total of 86 trains of which 47 are yet to be released by Thameslink.
- The Class 319 is already certified for main line running at 100 mph.
- Those behind the project have very deep pockets.
As an Electrical and Control Engineer, Ifeel that fitting the power packs under a Class 319, would be easier than on a Class 230.
I also think that a modified hybrid bus power unit could be used. The diesel engine would charge a battery, which then feeds into the main electrical bus as required. The battery could also be charged from the overhead wires or third rail.
A decent control system linked to a pantograph that could raise and lower at line speed automatically, could have great fun getting from A to B, using the smallest possible amount of diesel.
But the biggest problem for the Class 230 is the fire it suffered, which is described in this article on the BBC.
Since then because of time issues with the new London Midland Franchise, the Local Authorities, who were backing the trial on the Coventry to Nuneaton Line have backed out of the project.
As this came just eight days after Porterbrook announced the Class 319 Flex, the timing couldn’t have been worse.
London Midland must be a prime target for a Class 319 Flex.
- They already run seven Class 319 trains.
- They need a 100 mph train for running on the West Coast Main Line.
- The train would be ideal for extending some of their routes over perhaps a dozen miles.
- If the trains had a hybrid transmission, Routes like NUCKLE (Nuneaton – Coventry – Kenilworth – Leamington Spa) could be handled.
- Extra services from London to new destinations without electrification, might be possible.
There are probably other companies on Porterbrook’s list of prospects.
Conclusion
Vivarail will have a struggle to sell large numbers of trains, against a larger, faster, more capable train of proven reliability.
Will Platforms 15 And 16 At Manchester Piccadilly Ever Be Built?
I ask this question, as I have read this article on the Manchester Evening News, which is entitled Doubts cast over plans for two new platforms at Manchester Piccadilly train station.
This is said.
A shadow of doubt is looming over plans to expand Manchester Piccadilly after Network Rail’s boss admitted they are looking at the ‘cost-benefit ratio’.
The words of Mark Carne, chief executive at Network Rail, will raise fears of delay – or even cancellation – of the building of platforms 15 and 16.
For myself, I dread when I see my train is leaving or arriving at the current Platforms 13 or 14 at Manchester Piccadilly station.
The architect who designed this mess was a total idiot.
- Access is terrible.
- There needs to be escalator and lift access between the platforms and the street below.
- The platform is not wide enough for safety.
I just wonder if there could be an interim solution to Platforms 15 and 16 at Manchester Piccadilly.
- Rebuild Platforms 13 and 14 to a modern safe standard.
- Provide a second access route to the platforms from the main station.
- Provide direct access to the platforms from the street.
- Provide direct escalator access to the trams.
- Future-proof Platforms 13 and 14 for decent access from the proposed HS2 platforms.
Obviously, a design would be used, that can be expanded to add Platforms 15 and 16.
To be fair, since the platforms were built in 1960, station and railway design has moved on.
In London, we have Thameslink, that will handle 24 main line trains per hour (tph) at four stations in Central London. Soon, Thameslink will be joined by Crossrail, which will handle the same frequency of trains on an East-West axis across London.
I’ve stood on that crowded island platform at Manchester Piccadilly, many times and certainly the frequency of trains is nowhere near 24 tph and perhaps just half that figure.
If they can do it on Thameslink and Crossrail, then surely they can do it on Platforms 13 and 14 at Manchester Piccadilly.
To accommodate, an increased number of trains would require.
- Rebuilding of Platforms 13 and 14 to a modern standard with better access to the main station, the street and the Metrolink.
- Updating of Oxford Road and Deansgate stations to safely handle the increased number of trains and passengers.
- Installation of Automatic Train Control (ATO) as on Thameslink and Crossrail, through Piccadilly, Oxford Road and Deansgate.
Get it right and it could bring more than just the obvious benefits of more capacity, less cost, earlier implementation and future-proofing.
Could Platforms 13 And 14 Become A Separate Station?
I ask this question, as Platforms 13 and 14 have a similar relationship to the main Piccadilly station, as Waterloo East station has to Waterloo station.
Waterloo East station is certainly nor perfect, but after the installation of the balcony at Waterloo and a better bridge between the two stations, it is getting there.
In my view Waterloo East still needs.
- Direct access to and from street level.
- Better access to Waterloo tube station.
Perhaps it could all be funded by sympathetic development on top of a new station.
I can’t see why a similar approach couldn’t be taken at Platform 13 and 14 at Manchester Piccadilly.
The new station would have.
- Walk-in access from the street.
- Easy access from the Metrolink.
- A ticket hall.
- Step-free access to the platforms.
- Appropriate oversite development,like perhaps a hotel, offices and housing.
I shall call it Manchester Piccadilly South in the rest of this post.
I think that making the station separate could be the best way to go. Especially, if the developer of the oversite development could be persuaded to contribute to the station.
A Station For Manchester Airport
Most of the current nine trains per hour ( tph) to and from Manchester Airport use Platforms 13 and 14.
So if a Manchester Piccadilly South station is created, this would make it easier for travellers using the train to get to the airport.
It would also be more convenient if all Manchester Airport services called at these platforms.
Through Trains Only
Some trains appear to start from Platform 13B at Manchester Piccadilly..
If services were reorganised, surely this will stop, as you don’t use through platforms to terminate services.
Could The Development Of Platforms 13 and 14 Be Done Without Halting Train Services?
I suspect, that Network Rail’s contractors have a lot of experience of rebuilding platforms like these, whilst keeping the trains running.
Conclusion
I can certainly understand Network Rail’s thinking on perhaps cancelling Platforms 15 and 16.
Platforms 13 And 14 At Paddington Station
These pictures show work at Platform 13 and 14 at Paddington station.
It looks like they’re being tidied up and lengthened, so that when in 2018 Heathrow Connect is transferred to Crossrail, the platforms can be used by the 200-metre long Class 345 trains.
It will only be a temporary arrangement as in 2019, Heathrow Connect trains will use the core tunnel under London.
- 4 tph between Abbey Wood and Heathrow Terminal 4.
There will also be 4 tph on Heathrowc Express from Psaddington to Hrathrow Terminal 5.
So it looks Heathrow will be trying to con passengers to use the expensive Heathrow Express. Edpecially from Terminal 5!
It is only continuing to fleece passengers, as it is totally pointless for savvy travellers.
Quite frankly, if you’re anywhere to the East of Paddington, would you change at Paddington to waste money, when a change at Heathrow Central will be free?
It would be far better to run 8 tph to the Airport, with four tph going to each of Terminal 4 and Terminal 5. Four tph could start at Shenfield and four tph at Abbey Wood.
And then there’s the problem of vFreedom Passes. Will I be able to use my pass on Crossrail to get to Heathrow?
Never Underestimate Scousers With Ambition
I was looking up something at Liverpool University and came across the Liverpool Knowledge Quarter, which is a project to do what it says in the name.
One development is Paddington Village.
This is said.
Paddington Village is a £1bn flagship expansion site sitting at the eastern gateway to the city centre and has been earmarked as 1.8m sq ft of science, technology, education and health space.
In November 2016 a draft masterplan was published, outlining the plans for the site, which will be developed in three phases: Paddington Central, Paddington South and Paddington North, with phase one due to commence in the coming months.
At 30 acres, Paddington is a sizeable urban village, inspired by the sense of community you’d find in the likes of Greenwich Village in New York. Not only will it be a great place to live but a great place to work, discover and socialise, with state-of-the art workspace, labs, cafés, restaurants, shops, accommodation, a hotel and teaching, examination and events space.
The sites first two anchor tenants have already been announce and will see as new Northern Centre of Excellence for the Royal College of Physicians and a new 45,000 sq ft education and learning facilities and 262 residential bed spaces for Liverpool International College. There are also plans in place for a new train station, making this phase two of the Paddington Village development key to the new transport infrastructure for the area.
I also found some more about the Paddington Square station in other places.
This news item in the Liverpool Echo says or implies the following.
- The new station would use some existing tunneling like the Edge Hill Spur.
- The new station would connect to the City, Northern and Wirral Lines.
- The new station would be close to the new Royal Liverpool Hospital.
- The vision is to have in built in five years.
I talked about Merseyrail’s new trains in Thoughts On Merseyrail’s New Trains.
This Google Map shows the area.
Note.
- Lime Street station is at the West and Edge Hill station is in the East.
- The lines into Lime Street are a dark scar between the two stations.
- The Royal Liverpool Hospital is at the top of the map and I think the triangular site to the East will be Paddington Village with Paddington Square station.
Note that there are three abandoned freight tunnels leading from the Docks to Edge Hill station.
On which one will Paddington Square station be built?
I talked about Merseyrail’s new trains in Thoughts On Merseyrail’s New Trains.
This map from Wikipedia, shows the Loop Line under the Centre of Liverpool.
Liverpool Loop Line
Could trains come in from the East and feed into this loop?
At present 12 trains per hour (tph) come in from the Wirral Line and after stopping at James Street, Moorfields, Lime Street, Central and James Street again, they go back under the Mersey to Birkenhead.
So could trains from Edge Hill join the loop and go through Lime Street, Central and Morrfield stations before going back to Edge Hill?
If the loop was running under Automatic Train Operation (ATO) with the new Stadler trains, I suspect that the Loop could probably handle upwards of the current 12 tph. Perhaps even 24 tph, which could give.
- 4 tph to Manchester via Warrington
- 4 tph to Wigan
- 4 tph to Chester via Runcorn and the Halton Curve.
Or whatever Merseyrail thought was the correct service.
Liverpool would have a unique underground railway.
It could be a superb urban railway, with services to the following destinations, from all stations in the Loop.
- Chester
- Ellesmere Port
- Hunts Cross
- Kirkby
- Liverpool Airport
- Manchester
- Manchester Airport
- New Brighton
- Ormskirk
- Preston
- Rock Ferry
- Southport
- Warrington
- Wigan
- West Kirby
- Wrexham
Passengers going between say Chester and Wigan would get off at Moorfields and wait for the next Wigan train.
These tunnels were only built in 1977 and the loop is due for updating in the first half of 2017, so at least the tunnellers will know where everything is buried.
One advantage is putting all the suburban services in the basement, is that this would release platforms for services to Glasgow, across the Pennines and for HS2.
It certainly seems to be a project that can be realised.
It is an ambitious project, but then who can forget four lads from Liverpool in the 1960s, who had ambition and just imagined?
Network Rail Get The Project Management Wrong Again!
This article in Rail Technology Magazine is entitled Kenilworth station opening delayed until December 2017.
This is said.
Warwickshire County Council has announced that the new station in Kenilworth will now not be opened until this December due to track and signalling issues, one year after services were meant to begin running.
The station will now open on 10 December 2017 after a revised deadline of August this year was pushed back further, with the opening already postponed from the initial date of December 2016.
Surely, if Network Rail agreed to the Aufgust 2017 date, they felt they could meet it.
There is some very bad Project Managment going on, if you agree a date of August 2017, which in a short time slips to December.
If say it was a serious problem, like old mine workings, that had not been foreseen, then the cause of the delay would be disclosed.
Strikes, Carnage and Threats
The title of this post is the same as that of an article in Rail Magazine, about the strikes on Southern.
I won’t pass any opinion and urge you to read the article.
The Anonymous Widower 